Boat reverse

ABSTRACT

A deflector is mounted for vertical reciprocation upon the transom of an inboard motor boat with fixed propeller. A vane within the deflector directs water to the port or starboard water course for steerage.

United $161135 Patent 1 1 Wetzel Feb. 12, 1974 [5 BOAT REVERSE 3,063,40311/1962 Aubrey 115/35 2.01 6 15 F ,.4 425 [76] Inventor: Richard E.Wetzel, 5301 University 51 523 3 32 g' j 3: R -1 Lubbock, 794133,422,788 1 1969 1161611.... 115 12 R [22] Filed: 5, 1973 3,114,239 121963 Aylor 114 151 [21] Appl' No: 329,833 Primary Examiner-George E. A.Halvosa Assistant ExaminerEdward R. Kazenske 52 US. 01 115/35, 114/163,114/151 Attorney, Agent, or FirmWend9l1C0ffee [51] Int. Cl B63h 25/48[58] Field of Search.. 114/151, 163; 115/11, 12, 34, [57] ABSTRACT Adeflector is mounted for vertical reciprocation upon the transom of aninboard motor boat with fixed pro- [56] References Cited UNTED STATESPATENTS peller. A vane within the deflector directs water to the port orstarboard water course for steerage. 3,465,705 9/1969 Castoldi ll5/l2 R3,710,749 H1973 Duryea 114/163 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1,7 I, O L v5g 5 i a W 1", Mam-44 ""Qf v PATENTEU FEB 1 21914 SHEET 2 BF 2 BOATREVERSE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to marine propulsionand more particularly to steering a boat having a screw propeller.

2. Description of the Prior Art.

With jet propulsion for boats, reversing deflectors are known.Generally, these fall in two catagories.

KENEFICK, US. Pat. No. 3,052,093, and GO- EI-ILER, US. Pat. No.3,064,420, disclose an external type which is physically raised andlowered and which rotate in their entirety for steerage forward orastern.

ALDROPP, US. Pat. No. 3,121,994, and PEDER- SEN et al, US. Pat. No.3,102,389, disclose deflectors which are rigidly installed and whereinthe deflection is accomplished by the manipulation of valves. Thesteerage, at least when moving astern, is controlled by the moving ofvalves or vanes within the deflector. PE- DERSEN et al, discloses thatthe reversing valves may be only partially operated so the boat may bepropelled forward at a very slow speed or can be even held dead in thewater with the motor running.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 1. New and Different Function I have discoveredan advantageous way to perform both reverse and reverse steerage for ascrew propellertype boat. I am particularly concerned with the type boatwhich has a propeller mounted to a fixed shaft so the steerage of theboat is normally accomplished only by rudders. Normally, in such craftto reverse the boat, it is necessary to provide a transmission betweenthe motor and the propeller so the rotation of the propeller may bereversed. Also, since, generally, the boat is maneuvered or reversed inshallow water, it is often difficult to prevent damage to the propeller.Normally, a skeg is provided which does a reasonable job in protectingthe propeller when moving in the forward direction. Also, when the boatismoving forward, the'bow of the boat first reaches shoal water.However, when the boat is moving astern, the stern of the boat is at theshoal water which increases the danger of running the propeller aground,sometimes damaging the shaft as well as the propeller. When the boat ismoving astern, with my invention, the propeller is enclosed by thedeflector. With my invention, the deflector is moved into position bymovement of the deflector, however, once in position, vanes within thedeflector are used for steerage.

The deflector can be lowered only partially so the boat moves forward ata speed slower than it is normally possible to operate in a forwarddirection. Lowering the deflector slightly more results in the boatmoving astem at very slow speed. With the steerage provided when usingthe deflector, very good control of the boat is obtained when movingslowly forward or astern.

2. OBJECTS OF THIS INVENTION.

An object of this invention is to maneuver a boat, particularly astem orforward at slow speeds.

Further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy,compact, durable, lightweight, simple, safe, efficient, versatile, andreliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture, install, adjust,operate, and maintain.

Other objects are to achieve the above with a method that is versatile,rapid, efficient, and inexpensive, and does not require skilled peopleto install, adjust, operate, and maintain.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses,and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the followingdescription and from the accompanying drawing, the different views ofwhich are not to the same scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a boat with my invention attachedthereto, partially broken away and somewhat schematic in representation.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the deflector shown detached from theboat.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the deflector attached to thetransom of the boat.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, there may be seen a boat havinghull 10 with transom 12. Motor or engine 14 is mounted within the hull.The motor is connected to propeller shaft 16 which is journaled throughthe bottom of the hull and has propeller 18 connected to the shaft onthe outside thereof. The boat in normal forward travel is steered byrudders 20. The propeller is protected in normal forward travel by skeg22.

The description to this point is a common inboard motor boat as iscommon on the market.

My invention is to place reversing deflector 24 to the transom 12 so theboat may be reversed by lowering the deflector rather than by thereversal of the shaft 16. Rails 26 are attached to the transom 12 of theboat. Bars 28 are attached to the deflector 24 in parallel relationshipin proximity to the rails 26. Rollers 30 mounted upon the bars 28 (andthus the'deflector 24) provide ease of movement of the deflector as itmoves up and down.

The deflector 24 may be raised and lowered by any convenient mechanism.1 have illustrated a crank and pitman arrangement. Crank 32 is pivotedthrough the transom 12 by crank shaft 34. The shaft 34 is operated bymechanism not shown, but well within the skill of ordinary seamen.Pitman 36 is pivoted at its top to the end of crank 32 and the bottom tothe deflector 24. Therefore, rotation of the crank shaft 36 by themechanism not shown will cause the deflector to raise and lower, thus,accomplishing the desired results.

The deflector 24 is constructed with two water courses therein. Theseare designed as starboard water course 38 and port water course 40. Eachof the water courses terminate with nozzle 42 to efficiently dischargethe water from the deflector at high velocity. The water courses aredesigned and curved to result in a smooth transition of water from thepropeller through the water course and out the nozzle. (FIG. 4). Thedischarge of the water courses or the nozzles 40am at the same elevationas the intake 44 and when the'deflector is in the full lowered position,they will be at the same level as the propeller 18, which is below thebottom of the hull 10 of the boat.

The opening 44 has a lower portion 46 which is relieved so it clears thepropeller 18 when being lowered but still forms hydromatic connectionthereto. When the deflector is in the full lowered position, if the boatis backed against rocks or strikes bottom, the deflector 24 will fullyprotect the propeller 1%.

Director vane 48 is securely attached to vane shaft 50. The shaft 50 islocated in line with the keel of the boat at the extreme back or afterportion of the deflector 2 3. The director vane 48 is valve means fordirecting the water into either the starboard water course 38 or portwater course 40. Nozzles 42 are directed forward. Water discharged fromthe nozzles will thrust the boat astern. The nozzles are angled to 30abeam. As seen in FIG. 4 with the vane 48 in the position shown bydashed lines, the water is directed to the starboard water course. Thus,the water is discharged at about a angle to starboard and will thrustthe stern of the boat to port. If the rudders are in the position asseen in FIG. 4 with the boat moving astern, they likewise will deflectthe stern of the boat to port. Therefore, when the boat is moving in therearward direction, the rudders and the director vane operate tomaneuver the boat in the same direction. it is not necessary for thehelmsman to learn new techniques in steering when operating the boatastern. When the deflector is fully raised, the boat is guided by therudders as customary. When the deflector is only partially lowered sothe boat is moving forward at reduced speed, the rudders and thedeflectors will operate at opposite purposes. Therefore, when movingforward at very slow speeds, the helmsman may have to direct the helm inopposite direction from the operation he would normally make in theforward direction.

The vane shaft 50 is operated by control cable 52 which extends fromcontrol box 54, shown only in FIG. 1. The control box 54 is coupled,preferably mechanically, to the rudder controls so that the rudders 20and director vanes are controlled by a single instrument. Inasmuch asboat manufacturers understand how to connect the two controls to asingle operating mechanism, they have not been shown or described indetail, but only are shown as the control box 54.

Obviously the control cable 552 is flexible so it connects the controlbox 54 to the vane shaft 50 in either the retracted or the loweredposition.

The embodiment shown and described above is only exemplary. I do notclaim to have invented all the parts, elements or steps described.Various modifications can be made in the construction, material,arrangement, and operation, and still be within the scope of myinvention. The limits of the invention and the bounds of the patentprotection are measured by and defined in the following claims. Therestrictive description and drawing of the specific example above do notpoint out what an infringement of this patent would be, but are toenable the reader to make and use the invention.

I claim as my invention;

g vertical tracks mounted on the transom of said boat,

h a reversing deflector,

j bars extending upward from said reversing deflector,

k rollers mounted on said bars and within said tracks,

whereby m said deflector is mounted for vertical movement parallel tosaid transom,

n said deflector having port and starboard water courses,

0 said port water course terminating in a nozzle on the port side of thehull directed forward and angled abeam,

p said starboard water course terminating in a nozzle on the starboardside of the hull directed forward and angled abeam,

q a director vane attached to i a vane shaft,

ii said vane shaft journaled within the deflector,

iii said vane shaft vertically oriented,

iv said vane on the vane shaft arranged and constructed so that in thecenter position water is directed from the propeller equally to the portwater course and the starboard water course, but said vane when directedone way or the other directs the water to the port water course or thestarboard water course,

r a cable connected to the vane shaft,

s means interconnecting the said cable and said rudder so that operationof the rudder also operates the vane shaft and, therefore, the vane,

t said deflector at least as low as the bottom of the propeller when thedeflector is in the lowered position, whereby u said deflector protectsthe propeller from striking the bottom as the boat moves in reverse.

2. On a motor boat having a a hull with a transom,

b at least one rudder on the hull,

c a propeller shaft journaled through the hull,

d a propeller on the shaft outside and below the hull,

and

e an engine in the hull operationally connected to the propeller shaft,

f the improved structure comprising:

g a reversing deflector mounted upon the transom of the boat,

h means interconnecting the transom and deflector for raising andlowering the deflector,

i said deflector having port and starboard water courses,

j said port water course terminating in a nozzle on the port side of thehull directed forward and angled abeam,

it said starboard water course terminating in a nozzle on the starboardside of the hull directed forward and angled abeam, and

l directing means mounted directly to the deflector therein fordeflecting water to either one or the other of said port or starboardwater courses.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 with an additional limitation ofm said directing means attached to said rudders so when the boat ismoving in reverse, the rudders and the directing means steer the boat inthe same direction.

verse. 6. The invention as defined in claim 5 with additionallimitations of p tracks mounted upon the transom of said boat, q rollersmounted upon said deflector, r said rollers in said tracks, and therebys mounting said deflector for movement parallel to said transom.

1. On a motor boat having a a hull with a transom, b at least one rudderon the hull, c a propeller shaft journaled through the hull, d apropeller on the shaft outside and below the hull, and e an engine inthe hull operationally connected to the propeller shaft, f the improvedstructure comprising: g vertical tracks mounted on the transom of saidboat, h a reversing deflector, j bars extending upward from saidreversing deflector, k rollers mounted on said bars and within saidtracks, whereby m said deflector is mounted for vertical movementparallel to said transom, n said deflector having port and starboardwater courses, o said port water course terminating in a nozzle on theport side of the hull directed forward and angled abeam, p saidstarboard water course terminating in a nozzle on the starboard side ofthe hull directed forward and angled abeam, q a director vane attachedto i a vane shaft, ii said vane shaft journaled within the deflector,iii said vane shaft vertically oriented, iv said vane on the vane shaftarranged and constructed so that in the center position water isdirected from the propeller equally to the port water course and thestarboard water course, but said vane when directed one way or the otherdirects the water to the port water course or the starboard watercourse, r a cable connected to the vane shaft, s means interconnectingthe said cable and said rudder so that operation of the rudder alsooperates the vane shaft and, therefore, the vane, t said deflector atleast as low as the bottom of the propeller when the deflector is in thelowered position, whereby u said deflector protects the propeller fromStriking the bottom as the boat moves in reverse.
 2. On a motor boathaving a a hull with a transom, b at least one rudder on the hull, c apropeller shaft journaled through the hull, d a propeller on the shaftoutside and below the hull, and e an engine in the hull operationallyconnected to the propeller shaft, f the improved structure comprising: ga reversing deflector mounted upon the transom of the boat, h meansinterconnecting the transom and deflector for raising and lowering thedeflector, i said deflector having port and starboard water courses, jsaid port water course terminating in a nozzle on the port side of thehull directed forward and angled abeam, k said starboard water courseterminating in a nozzle on the starboard side of the hull directedforward and angled abeam, and l directing means mounted directly to thedeflector therein for deflecting water to either one or the other ofsaid port or starboard water courses.
 3. The invention as defined inclaim 2 with an additional limitation of m said directing means attachedto said rudders so when the boat is moving in reverse, the rudders andthe directing means steer the boat in the same direction.
 4. Theinvention as defined in claim 3 wherein n said port and starboard watercourses are on approximately the same level as said propeller when thedeflector is fully lowered.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 4wherein o said deflector is at least as low as the bottom of thepropeller when said deflector is in the full lowered position, wherebythe deflector protects the propeller from striking bottom as the boatmoves in reverse.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 5 with additionallimitations of p tracks mounted upon the transom of said boat, q rollersmounted upon said deflector, r said rollers in said tracks, and therebys mounting said deflector for movement parallel to said transom.